Listen to me; and, if you speak me fair, Hortenfio, have you told him all her faults? Gre. No, fayeft me fo, friend? what countryman? Gre. Oh, Sir, fuch a life, with fuch a wife, were strange; But if you have a ftomach, to't, o' God's name; Pet. Will I live? Gru. Will he wooe her? ay, or I'll hang her. Loud larums, neighing fteeds, and trumpets clangue? Tufh, tufh, fear boys with bugs. Gru. For he fears none. Gre. Hortenfio, hark: This gentleman is happily arriv'd, My mind prefumes for his own good and ours. Gre. And fo we will, provided that he win her. To them Tranio bravely apparelled, and Biondello. Tra. Gentlemen, God fave you. If I may be bold, tell me, I befeech you, which is the readiest way to the house of Signior Baptifta Minola? Bion. He that has the two fair daughters? is't he you mean? Tra. Even he, Biondello. Gre. Hark you, Sir, you mean not her, to- Hor. Sir, a word, ere you go: Are you a fuitor to the maid you talk of, yea or no? Tra. An' if I be, Sir, is it any offence ? Gre. No; if without more words you will get: you hence. Tra. Why, Sir, I pray, are not the streets as free For me, as for you? Gre. But fo is not fhe. Tra. For what reason, I beseech you ? Gre. For this reason, if you'll know, That fhe's the choice love of Signior Gremio. Hor. That fhe's the chofen of Signior Hortenfio. Tra. Softly, my mafters: if you be gentlemen,. Do me this right; hear me with patience. Baptifta is a noble gentleman, To whom my father is not all unknown; Gre. What, this gentleman will out-talk us all! Luc. Sir, give him head; I know he'll prove a jade. Pet. Hortenfio, to what end are all thefe words? Hor. Sir, let me be fo bald as to ask you, .. Did you yet ever fee Baptifta's daughter? Tra. No, Sir; but hear I do that he hath two: The one as famous for a feolding tongue, As the other is for beauteous modefty. Pet. Sir, Sir, the firft's for me; let her go by. Gre. Yea, leave that labour to great Hercules; And let it be more than Alcides' twelve. Pet Sir, understand you this of me, insooth : The youngest daughter, whom you hearken for, Her father keeps from all accefs of fuitors, And will not promife her to any man, Until the eldest fister first be wed; The younger then is free, and not before. Tra. If it be fo, Sir, that you are the man Muft fteed us all, and me amongst the reft; And if you break the ice, and do this feat, Atchieve the elder, fet the younger free For our accefs; whofe hap fhall be to have her, Will not fo graceless be, to be ingrate. Hor. Sir, you fay well, and well you do conceive And fince you do profefs to be a fuitor, You must, as we do, gratify this gentleman, To whom we all reft generally beholden. Tra. Sir, I fhall not be flack; in fign whereof, Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. gone. Hor. The motion's good indeed, and be it fo, Petruchio, I fhall be your ben venuto. [Exeunt. [The prefenters above speak here, 1 Man. My Lord, you nod; you do not mind the play. Sly. Yea, by St Ann, do I. A good matter, furely!-Comes there any more of it? Lady. My Lord, 'tis but begun. Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, Madam Lady. Would 'twere done! ACT II. SCENE L Baptifta's House in Padua. Enter Catharina and Bianca... Bianca.. Good fifter, wrong me not, nor wrong yourself, To make a bond-maid and a slave of me; Cath. Of all thy fuitors here, I charge thee, tell Which I could fancy more than any other. Bian. Is it for him you do fo envy me? Cath. If that be jeft, then all the reft was fo. Enter Baptifta, Bap. Why, how now, dame, whence grows this infolence? Bianca, ftand afide; poor girl, fhe weeps; Why doft thou wrong her, that did ne'er wrong thee? When did the cross thee with a bitter word? Cath. Her filence flouts me; and I'll be reveng'd. [Flies after Bianca. Bap. What, in my fight?--Bianca, get thee in. [Exit Bianca. Gath. Will you not fuffer me? nay, now I fee She is your treasure; she must have a husband; I muft dance bare-foot on her wedding day, And, for your love to her, lead apes in heil. Talk not to me, I will go fit and weep, 'Till I can find occafion of revenge. [Exit Cath. Bap. Was ever gentleman thus griev'd as I? But who comes here? Enter Gremio, Lucentio in the habit of a mean man; Petruchio with Hortenfio, like a musician; Tranio and Biondello bearing a lute and books. Gre. Good morrow, neighbour Baptista. Bap. Good morrow, neighbour Gremio. God fave you, gentlemen. Pet. And you, good Sir. Pray, have you not a daughter call'd Catharina, fair and virtuous? Bap. I have a daughter, Sir, call'd Catharina. Gre. You are too blunt; go to it orderly. Pet. You wrong me, Signior Gremio, give me leave. I am a gentleman of Verona, Sir, That hearing of her beauty and her wit, Her affability and bafhful modefty, Her wondrous qualities, and mild behaviour, Am bold to fhew myfelf a forward guest Within your houfe, to make mine eye the witness Of that report which I fo oft have heard. And, for an entrance to my entertainment, [Prefenting Hortenfio, I do prefent you with a man of mine, Cunning in mufic and the mathematics, To instruct her fully in those sciences, Whereof, I know, he is not ignorant: Accept of him, or elfe vou do me wrong, His name is Licio, born in Mantua. |